20 Best Book Descriptions (2023 Update)

Longlisted for the national book award in fiction * best of 2019 summer reading * the new york times * vanity fair * o, the oprah magazine * elle * vulture * nylon * oprahmag.com * thrillist * bustle * newsweek * star tribune (minneapolis) * milwaukee journal sentinel * lithub * better homes & gardens "a profound meditation on the nature of reality… an extraordinary and dazzlingly original work from one of our most gifted and interesting writers." –emily st. john mandel, author of station eleven "phillips is, as always, doing something at once wildly her own and utterly primal. maybe it doesn't surprise me that the strangest book i've read about motherhood is also the best, but it does thrill me." –rebecca makkai, author of the great believers "spellbinding…both unsettling and irresistible. phillips manifests the surreal, terrifying, and visceral experience of motherhood." –dana spiotta, author of innocents and others "an existential page-turner that captures, with perfect sharpness, the fierce delirium of motherhood, the longing to understand the workings of our universe, and the wondrous and terrifying mystery that is time." –laura van den berg, author of the third hotel "an unforgettable tour de force that melds nonstop suspense, intriguing speculation, and perfectly crafted prose…this story showcases an extraordinary writer at her electrifying best." –publishers weekly (starred review) "suspenseful and mysterious, insightful and tender, phillips's new thriller cements her standing as a deservedly celebrated author with a singular sense of story and style… a] superbly engaging read–quirky, perceptive, and gently provocative." –kirkus reviews (starred review) when molly, home alone with her two young children, hears footsteps in the living room, she tries to convince herself it's the sleep deprivation. she's been hearing things these days. startling at loud noises. imagining the worst-case scenario. it's what mothers do, she knows. but then the footsteps come again, and she catches a glimpse of movement. suddenly molly finds herself face-to-face with an intruder who knows far too much about her and her family. as she attempts to protect those she loves most, molly must also acknowledge her own frailty. molly slips down an existential rabbit hole where she must confront the dualities of motherhood: the ecstasy and the dread; the languor and the ferocity; the banality and the transcendence as the book hurtles toward a mind-bending conclusion. in the need, helen phillips has created a subversive, speculative thriller that comes to life through blazing, arresting prose and gorgeous, haunting imagery. helen phillips has been anointed as one of the most exciting fiction writers working today, and the need is a glorious celebration of the bizarre and beautiful nature of our everyday lives.

Lily hasn't always had it easy, but that's never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. she's come a long way from the small town in maine where she grew up – she graduated from college, moved to boston, and started her own business. so when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named ryle kincaid, everything in lily's life suddenly seems almost too good to be true. ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. he's also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for lily, but ryle's complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. even as lily finds herself becoming the exception to his no dating rule, she can't help but wonder what made him that way in the first place. as questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of atlas corrigan – her first love and a link to the past she left behind. he was her kindred spirit, her protector. when atlas suddenly reappears, everything lily has built with ryle is threatened.

Now a hit netflix series a new york times and usa today bestseller “hypnotic and scary.” —stephen king “i am riveted, aghast, aroused, you name it. the rare instance when prose and plot are equally delicious.” —lena dunham from debut author caroline kepnes comes you, one of suspense magazine’s best books of 2014, and a brilliant and terrifying novel for the social media age.when a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the east village bookstore where joe goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he googles the name on her credit card. there is only one guinevere beck in new york city. she has a public facebook account and tweets incessantly, telling joe everything he needs to know: she is simply beck to her friends, she went to brown university, she lives on bank street, and she’ll be at a bar in brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting. as joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure beck finds herself in his waiting arms. moving from stalker to boyfriend, joe transforms himself into beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder. you is a compulsively readable page-turner that’s being compared to gone girl, american psycho, and stephen king’s misery.

This is the standard reference for clinical practice in the mental health field. since a complete description of the underlying pathological processes is not possible for most mental disorders, it is important to emphasize that the current diagnostic criteria are the best available description of how mental disorders are expressed and can be recognized by trained clinicians.

“a love letter to bookstores and libraries.” —the boston globe – the dramatic story of how a humble bookseller fought against incredible odds to bring one of the most important books of the 20th century to the world in this new novel from the author of the girl in white gloves. – a pop – sugar much-anticipated 2022 novel ∙ a book – trib top ten historical fiction book of spring ∙ a she – reads’ best literary historical fiction coming in 2022 ∙ a reader’s digest’s best books for women written by female authors ∙ a book – bub best historical fiction book of 2022 when bookish young american sylvia beach opens shakespeare and company on a quiet street in paris in 1919, she has no idea that she and her new bookstore will change the course of literature itself. shakespeare and company is more than a bookstore and lending library: many of the prominent writers of the lost generation, like ernest hemingway, consider it a second home. it's where some of the most important literary friendships of the twentieth century are forged—none more so than the one between irish writer james joyce and sylvia herself. when joyce's controversial novel ulysses is banned, beach takes a massive risk and publishes it under the auspices of shakespeare and company. but the success and notoriety of publishing the most infamous and influential book of the century comes with steep costs. the future of her beloved store itself is threatened when ulysses' success brings other publishers to woo joyce away. her most cherished relationships are put to the test as paris is plunged deeper into the depression and many expatriate friends return to america. as she faces painful personal and financial crises, sylvia—a woman who has made it her mission to honor the life-changing impact of books—must decide what shakespeare and company truly means to her.

Billy pilgrim is the son of an american barber. he serves as a chaplain's assistant in world war ii, is captured by the germans, and he survives the largest massacre in european history the fire bombing of dresden. after the war billy makes a great deal of money as an optometrist, and on his wedding night he is kidnapped by a flying saucer from the planet tralfamadore. so begins a modern classic by a master storyteller.

Selected as one of the oprah daily's best books of 2022from booker-prizewinner douglas stuart an extraordinary, page-turning second novel, a vivid portrayal of working-class life and a highly suspenseful story of the dangerous first love of two young men: mungo and james. – born under different stars, protestant mungo and catholic james live in the hyper-masculine and violently sectarian world of glasgow's housing estates. they should be sworn enemies if they're to be seen as men at all, and yet they become best friends as they find a sanctuary in the pigeon dovecote that james has built for his prize racing birds. as they find themselves falling in love, they dream of escaping the grey city, and mungo works especially hard to hide his true self from all those around him, especially from his elder brother hamish, a local gang leader with a brutal reputation to uphold. – but the threat of discovery is constant and the punishment unspeakable. when mungo's mother sends him on a fishing trip to a loch in western scotland with two strange men whose drunken banter belies murky pasts, he will need to summon all his inner strength and courage to get back to a place of safety, a place where he and james might still have a future. – imbuing the everyday world of its characters with rich lyricism and giving full voice to people rarely acknowledged in literary fiction, douglas stuart's young mungo is a gripping and revealing story about the bounds of masculinity, the push and pull of family, the violence faced by so many queer people, and the dangers of loving someone too much. – praise for young mungo'i wasn't sure young mungo could live up to shuggie bain, but it surpasses it. deeply harrowing but gently infused with hope & love. and so exquisitely written. it's a joy to watch, in real time, as douglas stuart takes his place as one of the greats of scottish literature.' nicola sturgeon'few novels are as gutsy and gut-wrenching as young mungo in its depiction of a teenage boy who finds love amid family dysfunction, community conflict and the truly terrible predations of adults. vividly realised and emotionally intense, this scorching novel is an urgent addition to the new canon of unsung stories.' bernardine evaristo'i can honestly say that the second novel from the author of shuggie bain… surpassed my (high) expectations. stuart makes you care deeply about all of his characters but none more than mungo, mo-maw's beloved, "the softest, sweetest boy she had ever known".' – bookseller, 'fiction book of the month''prepare your hearts, for douglas stuart is back… another beautiful and moving book' -observer'again this author creates characters so vivid, dilemmas so heart-rending, and dialogue so brilliant that the whole thing sucks you in like a vacuum cleaner… romantic, terrifying, brutal, tender, and, in the end, sneakily hopeful. what a writer.' – kirkus reviews'there are wonderful stories in publishing, but the story of douglas stuart is pure magic… with young mungo… more magic is all but guaranteed… the book is a literary wonder and a suspenseful page-turner.' – publishers' weekly

Shaun bythell is the owner of the bookshop in wigtown, scotland.

Sweet, fun, and lighthearted, i wrote a book about you is designed to be filled out by you and given to someone you like a lot–a spouse, a best friend, a sister, or even an awesome co-worker.

New york times best seller – winner of the goodreads choice award – in this exhilarating novel by the best-selling author of the storied life of a. j. fikry two friends—often in love, but never lovers—come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality. – "delightful and absorbing." —the new york timesa best books of the year: the new york times, entertainment weekly, time, goodreads, oprah daily"utterly brilliant. in this sweeping, gorgeously written novel, gabrielle zevin charts the beauty, tenacity, and fragility of human love and creativity…. one of the best books i've ever read." —john green on a bitter-cold day, in the december of his junior year at harvard, sam masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, sadie green. he calls her name. for a moment, she pretends she hasn’t heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom. these friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, ichigo. overnight, the world is theirs. not even twenty-five years old, sam and sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won’t protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts. spanning thirty years, from cambridge, massachusetts, to venice beach, california, and lands in between and far beyond, gabrielle zevin’s tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to catch all the breaks and win over and over again? what do the super successful know? what is standing between you and your wildest dreams? the book of mistakes will take you on an inspiring journey, following an ancient manuscript with powerful lessons that will transform your life. you'll meet david, a young man who with each passing day is more disheartened and stressed. despite a decent job, apartment, and friends, he just feels hollow . . . until one day he meets a mysterious young woman and everything starts to change.in this self-help tale wrapped in fiction, you'll learn the nine mistakes that prevent many from achieving their goals. you'll learn how to overcome these hurdles and reinvent your life.this success parable is packed with wisdom that will help you discover and follow your personal purpose, push beyond your perceived capabilities, and achieve more than you ever dreamed possible. you'll find yourself returning again and again to a deceptively simple story that teaches actionable insights and enduring truths.

New york times bestseller – from one of our most iconic and influential writers, the award-winning author of the year of magical thinking: a timeless collection that reveals what would become joan didion's subjects, including the press, politics, california robber barons, women, and her own self-doubt. "didion’s remarkable, five decades-long career as a journalist, essayist, novelist, and screen writer has earned her a prominent place in the american literary canon, and the twelve early pieces collected here underscore her singularity."—o magazine with a forward by hilton als, these pieces from 1968 to 2000, never before gathered together, offer an illuminating glimpse into the mind and process of a legendary figure. they showcase joan didion's incisive reporting, her empathetic gaze, and her role as "an articulate witness to the most stubborn and intractable truths of our time" (the new york times book review). here, didion touches on topics ranging from newspapers ("the problem is not so much whether one trusts the news as to whether one finds it"), to the fantasy of san simeon, to not getting into stanford. in "why i write," didion ponders the act of writing: "i write entirely to find out what i'm thinking, what i'm looking at, what i see and what it means." from her admiration for hemingway's sentences to her acknowledgment that martha stewart's story is one "that has historically encouraged women in this country, even as it has threatened men," these essays are acutely and brilliantly observed. each piece is classic didion: incisive, bemused, and stunningly prescient.

Description blindsighted the sleepy town of heartsdale, georgia, is jolted into panic when sara linton, paediatrician and medical examiner. kisscut when a teenage quarrel in the small town of heartsdale explodes into a deadly shoot-out, sara linton. a faint cold fear but for medical examiner sara linton, it just doesn’t add up. when two more suspicious deaths follow and a young woman is brutally attacked. indelible when medical examiner sara linton and police chief jeffrey tolliver take a trip away from the small town of heartsdale. broken when the body of a young woman is discovered deep beneath the icy waters of lake grant, a note left under a rock by the shore points to suicide. unseen special agent will trent has something to hide. something he doesn’t want dr sara linton. like a charm desire leaves a man destroyed – a young girl's curiosity reveals secrets better left hidden. triptych when atlanta police detective michael ormewood is called out to a murder scene at the notorious grady homes. fallen there's no police training stronger than a cop's instinct. faith mitchell's mother isn't answering her phone. cop town for life is anything but easy in the male-dominated world of the atlanta police department. fractured a broken window, a bloody footprint on the stairs and, most devastating of all, the horrifying sight of her teenage daughter. faithless a walk in the woods takes a sinister turn for police chief jeffrey tolliver and medical examiner sara linton when they stumble across the body of a young girl.

The new york times bestseller – winner of the national book critics circle award – national book award finalist – a new american classic from the pulitzer prize-winning author of gilead and housekeeping – marilynne robinson, one of the greatest novelists of our time, returns to the town of gilead in an unforgettable story of a girlhood lived on the fringes of society in fear, awe, and wonder. lila, homeless and alone after years of roaming the countryside, steps inside a small-town iowa church-the only available shelter from the rain-and ignites a romance and a debate that will reshape her life. she becomes the wife of a minister, john ames, and begins a new existence while trying to make sense of the life that preceded her newfound security. neglected as a toddler, lila was rescued by doll, a canny young drifter, and brought up by her in a hardscrabble childhood. together they crafted a life on the run, living hand to mouth with nothing but their sisterly bond and a ragged blade to protect them. despite bouts of petty violence and moments of desperation, their shared life was laced with moments of joy and love. when lila arrives in gilead, she struggles to reconcile the life of her makeshift family and their days of hardship with the gentle christian worldview of her husband which paradoxically judges those she loves. revisiting the beloved characters and setting of robinson's pulitzer prize-winning gilead and home, a national book award finalist, lila is a moving expression of the mysteries of existence that is destined to become an american classic.

The san francisco chronicle’s best of the year list indie next pick "for reading groups"from new york times bestselling author joyce maynard, a memoir about discovering strength in the midst of great loss–"heart wrenching, inspiring, full of joy and tears and life." (anne lamott)in 2011, when she was in her late fifties, beloved author and journalist joyce maynard met the first true partner she had ever known. jim wore a rakish hat over a good head of hair; he asked real questions and gave real answers; he loved to see joyce shine, both in and out of the spotlight; and he didn’t mind the mess she made in the kitchen. he was not the husband joyce imagined, but he quickly became the partner she had always dreamed of.before they met, both had believed they were done with marriage, and even after they married, joyce resolved that no one could alter her course of determined independence. then, just after their one-year wedding anniversary, her new husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. during the nineteen months that followed, as they battled his illness together, she discovered for the first time what it really meant to be a couple–to be a true partner and to have one.this is their story. charting the course through their whirlwind romance, a marriage cut short by tragedy, and joyce’s return to singleness on new terms, the best of us is a heart-wrenching, ultimately life-affirming reflection on coming to understand true love through the experience of great loss.

“[oprah] winfrey calls the book ‘a wake-up call for the entire planet, one reader at a time.’”—usa today with his bestselling spiritual guide the power of now, eckhart tolle inspired millions of readers to discover the freedom and joy of a life lived “in the now.” in a new earth, tolle expands on these powerful ideas to show how transcending our ego-based state of consciousness is not only essential to personal happiness, but also the key to ending conflict and suffering throughout the world. tolle describes how our attachment to the ego creates the dysfunction that leads to anger, jealousy, and unhappiness, and shows readers how to awaken to a new state of consciousness and follow the path to a truly fulfilling existence. illuminating, enlightening, and uplifting, a new earth is a profoundly spiritual manifesto for a better way of life—and for building a better world.

Memphis, 1939. twelve-year-old rill foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family's mississippi river shantyboat. but when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, rill is left in charge–until strangers arrive in force. wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a tennessee children's home society orphanage, the foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents–but they quickly realize the dark truth. at the mercy of the facility's cruel director, rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty. aiken, south carolina, present day. born into wealth and privilege, avery stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiance, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. but when avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family's long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.

An unabridged edition of "gray's anatomy", the scientific and artistic triumph. kept in print by its clarity and usefulness, the text features sumptuous illustrations and clear, matter-of-fact descriptions. it is illustrated with morethan 500 clinical drawings by h.v. carter. this is a scientific and artistic triumph. not just a dry index of parts and names, gray's lets the natural beauty and grace of the body's interconnected systems and structures shine forth from the page. using sumptuouits clarity and usefulness keep it in print today. whether you want to understand yourself or others, knowledge of our physical parts and how they fit together is essential. "gray's anatomy" provides that information in a simple, timeless format that cleanly dissects a body of knowledge grown over centuries. this unabridged book will not only fill the needs of people in the medical profession, but will please artists and naturalists as well.s illustrations and clear, matter-of-fact descriptions, dr. gray unleashed a classic on the world more than 100 years ago.

An unabridged edition of "gray's anatomy", the scientific and artistic triumph. kept in print by its clarity and usefulness, the text features sumptuous illustrations and clear, matter-of-fact descriptions. it is illustrated with morethan 500 clinical drawings by h.v. carter. this is a scientific and artistic triumph. not just a dry index of parts and names, gray's lets the natural beauty and grace of the body's interconnected systems and structures shine forth from the page. using sumptuouits clarity and usefulness keep it in print today. whether you want to understand yourself or others, knowledge of our physical parts and how they fit together is essential. "gray's anatomy" provides that information in a simple, timeless format that cleanly dissects a body of knowledge grown over centuries. this unabridged book will not only fill the needs of people in the medical profession, but will please artists and naturalists as well.s illustrations and clear, matter-of-fact descriptions, dr. gray unleashed a classic on the world more than 100 years ago.

True colors is new york times bestselling author kristin hannah’s most provocative, compelling, and heart-wrenching story yet. with the luminous writing and unforgettable characters that are her trademarks, she tells the story of three sisters whose once-solid world is broken apart by jealousy, betrayal, and the kind of passion that rarely comes along.the grey sisters have always been close. after their mother’s death, the girls banded together, becoming best friends. their stern, disapproving father cares less about his children than about his reputation. to henry grey, appearances are everything, and years later, he still demands that his daughters reflect his standing in the community. winona, the oldest, needs her father’s approval most of all. an overweight bookworm who never felt at home on the sprawling horse ranch that has been in her family for three generations, she knows that she doesn’t have the qualities her father values. but as the best lawyer in town, she’s determined to someday find a way to prove her worth to him.aurora, the middle sister, is the family peacemaker. she brokers every dispute and tries to keep them all happy, even as she hides her own secret pain.vivi ann is the undisputed star of the family. a stunningly beautiful dreamer with a heart as big as the ocean in front of her house, she is adored by all who know her. everything comes easily for vivi ann, until a stranger comes to town. . . . in a matter of moments, everything will change. the grey sisters will be pitted against one another in ways that none could have imagined. loyalties will be tested and secrets revealed, and a terrible, shocking crime will shatter both their family and their beloved town. with breathtaking pace and penetrating emotional insight, true colors is an unforgettable novel about sisters, rivalry, forgiveness, redemption—and ultimately, what it means to be a family.